Ceptara

SUMMARY

• Small business owners should understand each of their marketing channels and have specific goals for each channel
• They should articulate their web channel needs before creating a design and selecting a technology platform
• The best sites are first designed in the small business owners mind before a technology platform is selected and implemented
• Small static sites work just as well as complex and dynamic Content Management Systems depending on the goals for the web channel

Increase the chances of your projects succeeding in tough economic times by:

1. Aligning your projects to your management's needs
2. Making sure your team members are the best of the best
3. Not over-estimating your project's budget
4. Breaking your projects into 'bite-size' chunks
5. Working on the most important tasks
6. Hiring a flexible workforce (such as contractors / temp workers) to facilitate easier project expansions and contractions

There are a huge number of tools used to improve processes and quality.  Having worked in or with the military, nuclear, manufacturing, aviation, service, and medical industries, I have seen many different approaches and views on what is needed. In this article I am introducing what might be considered a thumbnail of the different approaches.

Ceptara will be participating in the Global Six Sigma and Business Improvement Awards in Orlando, FL starting on October 14th, 2009.  Nominations are being collected until June 5th, 2009.  Visit www.tgssa.com and complete the Awards Entry for the opportunity to win recognition for your organizational excellence

Join me May 9th for the ASQ Quality Professionals Career [Day]. I will be presenting Ceptara's Personal Excellence [methods] and [tool] to help folks manage their way to a new assignment. Additionally, along with Laura Gregg, we will be presenting an hour on starting a business as well. It promises to be a day of networking and seminars to enable folks re-invent themselves in the economic downturn.

On April 15, 2009, we provided a 60 minute [class] on what it means to be Personally Excellent and how to start achieving it. We had a good turn out and I promised the attendees that I would update my blog with a few pointers we talked about in class.

[Join] me on April 15, 2009 @ 1:30p for 60 minutes focused on using MS Outlook to help you better focus on your goals and projects, and to more efficiently accomplish work. This is an introductory session that covers the topics we teach in our Personal Excellence [Workshop].

Summary

• The Lean method of Value Stream Mapping (VSM) can be applied to personal productivity
• Non Value Added (NVA) activities can be summarized and remembered using the mnemonic TIMWOOD
• Remove NVA activities by reducing & processing your collection points, traveling in a straight line, using mobile technologies, being concise in what you deliver, remembering balance, and doing it right the first time.
• Recognize your accountability for how you spend your day and then you can learn how to do it better.

SUMMARY

• A problem statement is a clear description of the issue(s), it includes a vision, issue statement, and method used to solve the problem.
• The 5 'W's can be used to spark the discussion about the problem.
• A problem statement expresses the words that will be used to keep the effort focused and it should represent a solveable problem.

Summary

• DMAIC is great at structuring an improvement effort but misses on directing which area to improve
• Smart organizations deliberately plan what to improve & foster the spirit of continous improvement
• A prepared improvement initiative will achieve greater results faster.